Thousands of years before the arrival of Christ, there settled in Scotland a race called the Tuatha D' Danaan who, over time, became known as the True Race, or the Fairy. An advanced civilization from a faraway world, the Tuatha D' Danaan educated some of the more promising humans they encountered in Druid ways. For a time, man and fairy shared the earth in peace, but sadly, bitter dissension arose between them, and the Tuatha D' Danaan decided to move on. Legend claims they were driven "under the hills" into "fairy mounds" which were also known as Craigh Na Duun.
The truth is they never left our world, but hold their fantastic court in places difficult for humans to find. After the Tuatha D' Danaan left, the human Druids warred among themselves, splintering into factions. Thirteen of them turned to dark ways and"thanks to what the Tuatha D' Danaan had taught them"nearly destroyed the earth. The Tuatha D' Danaan emerged from their hidden places and stopped the dark Druids moments before they succeeded in damaging the earth beyond repair. They stripped the Druids of their power, scattering them to the far corners of the earth. They punished the thirteen who'd turned dark by casting them into a place between dimensions, locking their immortal souls in an eternal prison.
The Tuatha D' Danaan then selected a noble bloodline, the Keltar, to use the sacred knowledge to rebuild and nurture the land. Together, they negotiated The Compact: the treaty governing cohabitation of their races. The Keltar swore many oaths to the Tuatha D' Danaan, first and foremost that they would never use the power of the standing stones"which give the man who knows the sacred formulas the ability to move through space and time"for personal gain or political ends. The Tuatha D' Danaan pledged many things in return, first and foremost that they would never spill the lifeblood of a mortal. Both races have long abided by the pledges made that day.
Over the ensuing millennia, the MacKeltar journeyed to Scotland and settled in the Highlands above what is now called Inverness. Although most of their ancient history from the time of their involvement with the Tuatha D' Danaan has melted into the mists of their distant past and been forgotten, and although there is no record of a Keltar encountering a Tuatha D' Danaan since then, they have never strayed from their sworn purpose.
Pledged to serve the greater good of the world, no MacKeltar has ever broken his sacred oath. On the few occasions they have opened a gate to other times within the circle of stones, it has been for the noblest of reasons: to protect the earth from great peril. An ancient legend holds that if a MacKeltar breaks his oath and uses the stones to travel through time for personal purposes, the myriad souls of the darkest Druids trapped in the in-between will claim him and make him the most evil, terrifyingly powerful Druid humankind has ever known.
*****
Caastielle MacKeltar was a descendant of the Keltar, the ancient druid guardians of the fabled Compact, on her father's side. Her mother, however, did not hold any magical abilities but just simply passed it on to her children. Caastielle, unfortunately was not supposed to have any magic at all; for the line of Keltar guardians had all been male for thousands of years since the first. While her older brothers focused their attentions and powers upon becoming the next set of guardians, she decided to focus her powers on regeneration and healing magics. With a territory war gone wrong between clans, she lost her father and eldest brother Drustan. Leaving only her mother, older brother Daegus, and herself. Her mother pleaded to have her bring them back, but Caas was no necromancer. She tried over and over again to revive them, but for the first time in her life, her magic failed her. From that point, her mother was disgusted with her. Her mother warned her for the next six years to stay clear of her and that she was no longer welcomed in her own home. Caastielle then had gathered her small collection of belongings and moved into a small cottage within the walls of Castle Keltar, still holding the position of town healer.
The magic of the standing stones had allowed the druids to alter time, going backwards and forwards, and Daegus was hell bent to go back in time to prevent the deaths of his father and brother, going mad to perfect the formulas to open the stones and go back to the correct location and time to set things right. Only one problem: that was a personal reason to use the standing stones and thus, threw the prophecy into motion. With his mother and little sister hot on his heels, he quickly muttered the ancient formulas to open the stones and jumped through. Her mother, already looking upon her with great disdain, grabbed Caas by the arm, hauling her towards the stone circle.
"Ye are goin" through them stones and bringing your brother back, ye stupid git. I dinna ken if ye make it back alive, but I demand you bring Daegus back!" with a forceful shove, Caas was thrown into the portal that was still open and was transported through space, time, and realms. That was it. The life she thought she knew was now gone.
*****
Reappearing in a dirty back alley, Caastielle hit the ground hard. Coughing and sputtering, she pushed herself up on her forearms as she laid in a puddle of water, or something that she hoped was water. Looking around she saw a sign over a backdoor reading "Red Dragon Inn", her gaze traveled to the opposite wall seeing what looked to be election posters. "Vote for so-and-so for Governor of Rhydin!" Rhydin. That must be where she was. Bringing herself back up to her feet, she wrung the water out of her shirt and brushed the debris from her arms and legs. Moving to the back door that obviously led into the Inn, she began her journey to find her brother " or to finally escape her destiny and her mother's cruelty.
But before she could reach the handle of the door, a flash of pain wracked her skull. Gripping her head with a hand on either side, she began to hear the whispers. But there wasn't just one. There were several. Panic gripped her. The dark thirteen...she had been cursed with the prophecy. The prophecy she was trying to avoid. Even though she was unwillingly thrust through the stones, she had gone through for a personal purpose. She had pure evil flowing through her, but she remembered what her Da had told her.
"Mo chro"—my heart. No matter how close the darkness gets, always shine bright."
He was right. He always was. A single tear slid down her cheek remembering the affection her father had for her and that she'd never feel again. She closed her eyes and focused, willing the voices away. Maybe if she didn't tap into her magick, it wouldn't give them the power they craved. So, that was that. Play the role of a simple mortal and that should do it"for now.
The truth is they never left our world, but hold their fantastic court in places difficult for humans to find. After the Tuatha D' Danaan left, the human Druids warred among themselves, splintering into factions. Thirteen of them turned to dark ways and"thanks to what the Tuatha D' Danaan had taught them"nearly destroyed the earth. The Tuatha D' Danaan emerged from their hidden places and stopped the dark Druids moments before they succeeded in damaging the earth beyond repair. They stripped the Druids of their power, scattering them to the far corners of the earth. They punished the thirteen who'd turned dark by casting them into a place between dimensions, locking their immortal souls in an eternal prison.
The Tuatha D' Danaan then selected a noble bloodline, the Keltar, to use the sacred knowledge to rebuild and nurture the land. Together, they negotiated The Compact: the treaty governing cohabitation of their races. The Keltar swore many oaths to the Tuatha D' Danaan, first and foremost that they would never use the power of the standing stones"which give the man who knows the sacred formulas the ability to move through space and time"for personal gain or political ends. The Tuatha D' Danaan pledged many things in return, first and foremost that they would never spill the lifeblood of a mortal. Both races have long abided by the pledges made that day.
Over the ensuing millennia, the MacKeltar journeyed to Scotland and settled in the Highlands above what is now called Inverness. Although most of their ancient history from the time of their involvement with the Tuatha D' Danaan has melted into the mists of their distant past and been forgotten, and although there is no record of a Keltar encountering a Tuatha D' Danaan since then, they have never strayed from their sworn purpose.
Pledged to serve the greater good of the world, no MacKeltar has ever broken his sacred oath. On the few occasions they have opened a gate to other times within the circle of stones, it has been for the noblest of reasons: to protect the earth from great peril. An ancient legend holds that if a MacKeltar breaks his oath and uses the stones to travel through time for personal purposes, the myriad souls of the darkest Druids trapped in the in-between will claim him and make him the most evil, terrifyingly powerful Druid humankind has ever known.
*****
Caastielle MacKeltar was a descendant of the Keltar, the ancient druid guardians of the fabled Compact, on her father's side. Her mother, however, did not hold any magical abilities but just simply passed it on to her children. Caastielle, unfortunately was not supposed to have any magic at all; for the line of Keltar guardians had all been male for thousands of years since the first. While her older brothers focused their attentions and powers upon becoming the next set of guardians, she decided to focus her powers on regeneration and healing magics. With a territory war gone wrong between clans, she lost her father and eldest brother Drustan. Leaving only her mother, older brother Daegus, and herself. Her mother pleaded to have her bring them back, but Caas was no necromancer. She tried over and over again to revive them, but for the first time in her life, her magic failed her. From that point, her mother was disgusted with her. Her mother warned her for the next six years to stay clear of her and that she was no longer welcomed in her own home. Caastielle then had gathered her small collection of belongings and moved into a small cottage within the walls of Castle Keltar, still holding the position of town healer.
The magic of the standing stones had allowed the druids to alter time, going backwards and forwards, and Daegus was hell bent to go back in time to prevent the deaths of his father and brother, going mad to perfect the formulas to open the stones and go back to the correct location and time to set things right. Only one problem: that was a personal reason to use the standing stones and thus, threw the prophecy into motion. With his mother and little sister hot on his heels, he quickly muttered the ancient formulas to open the stones and jumped through. Her mother, already looking upon her with great disdain, grabbed Caas by the arm, hauling her towards the stone circle.
"Ye are goin" through them stones and bringing your brother back, ye stupid git. I dinna ken if ye make it back alive, but I demand you bring Daegus back!" with a forceful shove, Caas was thrown into the portal that was still open and was transported through space, time, and realms. That was it. The life she thought she knew was now gone.
*****
Reappearing in a dirty back alley, Caastielle hit the ground hard. Coughing and sputtering, she pushed herself up on her forearms as she laid in a puddle of water, or something that she hoped was water. Looking around she saw a sign over a backdoor reading "Red Dragon Inn", her gaze traveled to the opposite wall seeing what looked to be election posters. "Vote for so-and-so for Governor of Rhydin!" Rhydin. That must be where she was. Bringing herself back up to her feet, she wrung the water out of her shirt and brushed the debris from her arms and legs. Moving to the back door that obviously led into the Inn, she began her journey to find her brother " or to finally escape her destiny and her mother's cruelty.
But before she could reach the handle of the door, a flash of pain wracked her skull. Gripping her head with a hand on either side, she began to hear the whispers. But there wasn't just one. There were several. Panic gripped her. The dark thirteen...she had been cursed with the prophecy. The prophecy she was trying to avoid. Even though she was unwillingly thrust through the stones, she had gone through for a personal purpose. She had pure evil flowing through her, but she remembered what her Da had told her.
"Mo chro"—my heart. No matter how close the darkness gets, always shine bright."
He was right. He always was. A single tear slid down her cheek remembering the affection her father had for her and that she'd never feel again. She closed her eyes and focused, willing the voices away. Maybe if she didn't tap into her magick, it wouldn't give them the power they craved. So, that was that. Play the role of a simple mortal and that should do it"for now.